


Of Knights and Phantoms

by PermianExtinction



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Aftermath - Chuck Wendig
Genre: (Although I've been spoiling it on my tumblr for ages now), (You are Sloane), AI Generated Fic, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Blood and Injury, Empress and Advisor AU, F/M, Marriage Proposal, POV Second Person, Spoiler for my fic The Empire Needs Children, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:48:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25710019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PermianExtinction/pseuds/PermianExtinction
Summary: In the midst of a civil war, you - Rae Sloane, former knight, recently Empress of a faction vying for control of the Empire - are proposed to by your unreliable and capricious advisor, Gallius Rax.What unfolds is a tale of war, love, magic, mystery, murder, oysters, the undead hordes, and whatever else the neural network that is the browser game AI Dungeon comes up with.THIS TEXT OF THIS FANFIC IS CLOSE TO FIFTY PERCENT COMPUTER GENERATED, WITH CLOSE HUMAN CURATION. And it is not as lolrandom as you might think. I have no idea if this is going to become a new fanfic trend, I haven't seen anyone using this website yet and fear unleashing it upon the fic community, but this was hilarious I simply had to try it out.
Relationships: Gallius Rax/Rae Sloane
Comments: 6
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Important information: This fanfic was created with the help of aidungeon.io, a text-based adventure game generator. This game can respond to long or short prompts, have its contributions undone, or rerolled. 
> 
> I rerolled liberally in this one, allowing the randomness to be a little more judiciously chosen and spread out. I wrote a substantial amount of the text myself and made many choices and tweaks to keep the story coherent. But the AI did also produce a large amount of the rough text, and I allowed its tendencies and what it seemed to be good at drive the plot. 
> 
> Of note: the AI will generate actions for ALL characters, including the second person player character. It will VERY FREQUENTLY write lines describing things you do, and things you say. Sometimes I kept them, sometimes I deleted them. I also occasionally saved interesting ideas such as sentences or even just plot bunnies that were churned out at not quite the right time, and prompted the AI with them later. 
> 
> In this fic, I’ve kept it in the rough format that allows you to see which lines I wrote myself, which are the paragraphs after each “>”.

> You are the recently crowned Empress of the realm. You are going to visit your mysterious, handsome, and very untrustworthy sorcerer, Gallius Rax, in his tower. 

Rax smiles when he sees you and bows. 

"Ah, my Empress! I have been waiting for this moment for years!" He says through his grin. "I am glad that you finally decided to take me up on my offer."

> "I haven't taken your offer yet, Rax. I came here to hear more about it, that's all."

Rax looks disappointed by your answer.

> "Do you expect me to agree to a plan I know nothing about? Tell me what you're planning first."

"I propose a marriage alliance between the Empire and the Dominion." Rax begins.

> You hold up a hand, startled. "Do you mean you want ME to get married?"

Rax laughs.

"I was proposing an alliance between us, the royal family. Marry me and secure our alliance."

> You bark out a disbelieving laugh and feel your cheeks flush furiously. "You are from the Dominion royal family?"

"I am a prince."

You sit back in your throne, thinking. This could be perfect for the Empire. It would keep them in check, while also giving you a potential ally. However, the marriage...

> You say, "How can you ask for my hand in marriage so boldly, Rax? Have you any shame?"

Rax looks at you with a serious expression.

"I love you," he says simply.

Your jaw drops, and you are left speechless for a moment.

"R-really?"

> You stand up from the throne and hold your head high, heart pounding like a war drum. "I am a very practical woman," you say. "And I know you know this. Is this really about a political alliance, or is it just for love?"

"I would like to think that it's both, but if I have to choose one, it's the love."

You let out a dry chuckle.

> You say, "If you are a prince of the Dominion, you've hid your identity for years."

“Yes."

"Why?"

"It is a long story."

"Tell me."

Rax sighs, then begins to speak.

> Rax explains how he was discovered as an orphan by a group of monks in the Dominion who raised him strictly and punished him often. 

He was always clever for a human, and when he was of age he demanded that the monks teach him magic. They complied, but only because they feared his power.

> His power was the birthright of the Dominion, which had been without a royal family for decades.

When he proved to be powerful in his magic, they decided to send him to the Empire for safety reasons.

> "Did the old Emperor know that you were a prince? I know you answered to him until he died."

"No. He did not know. I kept it a secret until my plan was ready. It was for the best that he died before the plan was enacted."

"Hmm."

> "And part of that plan was to marry the next Emperor?" You cross your arms, starting to pace back and forth. "I was just one of many commanders before you came to me and promised an alliance in the coming civil war."

"You were the only one I trusted enough." Rax says simply.

"Then I suppose it was a good gamble on my part."

"It was."

> You stand before Rax, evaluating him from head to toe. "Why did you trust me?"

Rax smiles.

"Because you're a pragmatic woman. I knew that you wouldn't be willing to wage war on the Empire just for the sake of revenge. You had your own agenda."

You nod.

> You say, "I would not destroy the Empire after it brought peace and security to my home city of Ganthel. I would save it. Rebuild it. Even if the old Emperor's mistakes led to the civil war."

"Yes, I knew you weren't a mindless rebel." Rax grins.

"So... you're asking me to marry you?"

"Yes. Will you do it?"

> You cross the room to the window and look out upon the land, over the castle walls and to the fields and forests beyond. "I admit to having some attraction to you," you mutter.

"I figured."

"But there is much about you that I do not know. How do I know you won't kill me in the night or something?"

"You don't."

> You twist your head around and glare at Rax. He's always been like this, as if he doesn't care if he seems villainous. "I suppose no wife ever knows that about her husband, for sure. It's one reason I've always been wary of marriage."

"I wouldn't dream of doing such a thing." Rax sounds offended. "Besides, you know I don't have the patience to kill you."

You pause, then decide to take the risk.

> You say, "I'll let you act as my husband for a week." You toss your long curls haughtily. "I expect by the end of the week you will do at least one suspicious thing."

Rax chuckles.

"So, suspicious of me? Don't worry. I may be a prince, but I'm not an idiot."

You shake your head, then turn around and move toward Rax.

> You say, "Show me what husband-like behavior looks like to you. Pretend we are married already.”

Rax nods, and suddenly he's much more fawning and sweet around you.

> He sinks to one knee and takes your hand, touching his lips to your knuckles. 

"My lady, I would be most honored if you would allow me to escort you to dinner."

You smirk.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Of course."

> You hook your arm around Rax's as he stands up. "We already dine together often," you point out.

Rax frowns. "Ah, but now I want you all to myself."

> You say, "None of the other advisors? No Hux, no Obdur, no Randd?" You do think that excluding them from the meal will make it a little more pleasant.

Rax thinks for a moment.

"No. All of them are fat, slow, and stupid."

"Fine." You roll your eyes. "Just lead on."

"My lady."

> "Obdur is thin, but he is fat-headed, it is true." 

You and Rax make your way to the dining hall. It's quite the impressive sight; the table is long and wooden, and seats at least twenty people.

> You take your customary seat at the head of the table, and wonder if Rax will sit on the other end, as he usually does — or in one of the seats beside you.

He does just that, of course, though he snickers a bit when he sees your expression.

> You ring your bell to summon the servants and the first course of the dinner.

The servants enter the room, moving with grace and speed that would be impressive if one didn't see them every day and know how fast they can move. One enters, bearing a huge platter covered in a silver dome.

> You admire the platter. "I apologize for the short notice," you tell the servants. "It looks like you prepared the usual banquet, but it will just be the two of us tonight."

The servants, humoring you, place the massive platter on the table.

They open the silver dome, and it is... oysters?

> It is so many oysters. 

It is too many oysters. You can barely believe your eyes. You and Rax have eaten dozens of oysters together, and this is the best that they could do?

> You turn to Rax and ask him under your breath, "Has your sister infiltrated the kitchens again?”

Rax nods, and then grins. "Indeed."

You take one of the oysters in your hand, and with a lightning fast motion you pop it in your mouth.

> Whenever Rax's witch sister Moira is around, she hijacks the kitchens and makes them cook enormous amounts of seafood. 

Even if they don't like her cooking, the rest of the staff always obeys her. You and Rax usually have to eat the leftovers.

> You reflect on the fact that oysters are an aphrodisiac, which might be why Rax seems pleased with the meal.

(And maybe why Moira made it.)

You wait for him to eat, but he just looks at the food.

"Aren't you hungry?" you ask.

"I am."

> You dip another oyster in a delicious butter and herb sauce. Is Rax making a suggestive comment there?

He smiles.

"Well?" you say.

"Well, what?" he asks. "You're beautiful."

"Are you flirting with me?" you ask.

He laughs.

> You say, "I suppose we are pretending to be married, so it's to be expected."

Rax laughs, and takes your hand. He presses a kiss to the back of it, which is enough to make you shiver.

The butler enters with a large, heavy tray.

> "Oh, dear gods," you say, the intimacy of the moment disrupted. "Is it more oysters?"

"No," the butler says, setting down a delicate china cup and saucer. "It's more tea."

The tea set is a very nice one, with a dragon on the lid.

> You wouldn't be surprised if Moira made the tea also. She brews all kinds of potions from herbs and flowers. What will this one be? You're a bit afraid to find out.

The butler pours hot water from the kettle into the cup, then leaves.

"What is it?" Rax asks.

> You say "Aren't you worried this tea might be magic? Did you tell your sister you were planning this, ah, proposal?"

"I told her we needed to expand. The Empire needs more soldiers, and mages. Especially now."

Your heart flutters a bit.

> You're almost as moved by this strategic advice as you were by Rax's declaration of love. Up until now he has been advising you cull the Empire, removing the weakest parts.

Rax is proposing to strengthen it, by adding its most powerful element. You can't help but love him a little more for this.

Then again, you can't help but be scared too.

> You say, "Especially now? Are we finally going on the offensive?"

"Not just yet. But the Old Quarter is going to fall soon."

You can hardly contain your excitement.

The Old Quarter, the heart of the Empire, the very seat of power, will fall so easily to you?

> You sip another oyster out of its shell and drum your fingers on the armrest of your ornate chair. "When we take the Old Quarter, we will be the true Empire. None of the other factions will compare to us.”

"It won't be as easy as all that."

"It never is," you shrug. "But I'm still willing to try. What's the worst that can happen?"

"Well, we could lose."

> You suppose he is right, but the rebels will slowly whittle down your forces if you don't reclaim territory soon. 

Your standing with the academy is tenuous, the soldiers aren't reliable and you don't have the resources to launch a proper attack. You would need time to train them, educate them, and build up your supplies.

> But, if you seized the Old Quarter, then other Imperials might flock to you, seeing you as the strongest contender for the throne. Of course, Rax already considers you the Empress, but does the rest of the Empire? That is the burning question. 

You need to find out.

Rax rises from his chair.

"I need to prepare the assault. We'll win through strength, if it comes to that."

> You nod, pleased that your acting husband is taking the war seriously instead of just mooning over you. You're not ready for what usually comes after oysters.

"We'll talk more about this later," you say. "I want to make sure I have everything in place."

Rax smiles, and walks off.

And with that, the plan is set into motion.


	2. Chapter 2

The next few days you wait impatiently, and finally the notification arrives.

You've won the assault. The Old Quarter is yours.

It doesn't take long for you to be proven right.

> You receive several messages from commanders of their own factions, claiming they have always been your allies and they would willingly serve under you as Empress. You bring these letters to show Rax, who is in his private garden.

"That's great news!" he smiles.

> You say somberly, "I do have a suggestion that might trouble you. Hear me out."

"Always," he says.

> You say, "We've hidden for months in this fortress, with the Vulpine Mountains surrounding us. But now that the Old Quarter is ours, perhaps we should move to the palace there. I know it isn't as safe, but we cannot look like cowards to our subjects."

Rax considers your idea, before nodding.

"You're right," he says. "Moving to the palace is a good idea. Let's go."

> "Are you worried at all? You've advised caution up until now."

Rax sighs, and looks at you.

"I am worried," he admits. "But it doesn't matter. We have to strike now, while the others are scattered and off guard."

> You put your hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to agree with me just because you're my husband for the week."

"Ah well," he laughs. "I don't agree with this plan for many reasons, but you're the leader of this faction, and I'm following you."

> You take a seat under a blossoming plum tree. "I'm willing to hear your objections."

"Very well," he says, sitting down next to you. "But be prepared for me to harp on these issues."

> "You are always very opinionated. I come to expect it. Are you worried I'll be killed in the capital? Is that it?"

"That is a factor. But there are others."

He doesn't go into detail, but you can guess his concern is the possible destabilization that could come from seizing the palace.

> "I've considered the possibility that the rebels will rally against us even harder than before."

"You've also considered the possibility that we'll be able to wipe out the entire rebels' leadership in one fell swoop."

> "I most certainly have. Ending the civil war sooner would be the right thing to do."

"This plan isn't about right and wrong. It's about our survival."

You take a deep breath, and exhale slowly.

"So you understand," you say. "Good."

> Your eyes follow a falling plum blossom. "Will the Dominion be able to send forces to protect us as we travel to the Old Quarter?"

"The rebels won't be able to do a thing about it," Rax says, catching the plum blossom. "Now hush, let me give you this as a memento of our time together."

> You open your hands and accept the flower.

Rax stands up and takes your hand, pulling you up as well. He walks through the orchard with you, looking at all the beautiful trees.

"So this is a dream," he says.

> You say, "What do you mean, it's a dream?"

"It's a dream. We're not really here. The entire world is a dream, and we're all just sleeping."

Rax begins to laugh.

> You laugh uneasily. "Stop saying nonsense, Rax, you're meant to advise me, not confuse me."

"Sssh. Listen."

You listen, and hear the soft rustling of leaves. The laughter soon turns into cries for help, as horrible nightmares begin to break through the veil of your mind.

> You grip Rax's wrist urgently. "What is this? Are you doing this?" You then pull away from him, frightened.

Rax stares at you. "I'm so sorry. I've betrayed you. But it's necessary. You have to help me, I'm your only friend in the world!

> You draw yourself up to your full height and declare, "You do realize, Rax, it's things like this that made me not want to marry you right away!"

Rax just sighs, before grinning.

"It's fine. Let's enjoy the rest of the dream, okay?"

You look around. It would appear the nightmares have stopped.

> You say, "No, Rax. Wake me up. I want to know what's going on in reality!"

"As you wish," Rax says, wrapping an arm around you.

You sit up with a start. You're covered in sweat, and breathing heavily. You look around, and you're back at the camp.

> You realize that you've been on the road to the Old Quarter for the past few days. You're deeply concerned by the way your memory is twisted up and convoluted. You need to find Rax and ask him what's going on. 

He probably doesn't realize how much he's affecting your mind.

You stand up, looking around the camp. Rax is gone. After checking to make sure, you stand up and head out of the camp.

> You bring a torch with you, and your sword and shield. "This is what I get for even pretending to marry a sorcerer," you mutter.

You walk through the darkness, your sword and shield at your side. You feel like you're being watched, and glance around nervously from time to time.

> "Rax? ... Gallius Rax? I hope you're just relieving yourself behind a stump somewhere."

Your eyes scan the darkness, and you're about to call it a night when you catch a glimpse of movement. You step forward, shining your torch ahead of you.

"Rax? Is that you?"

> You keep your free hand on your sword, just in case, as you approach.

As you step forward, the torchlight illuminates a young woman with long black hair. She has a short sword strapped to her waist and is dressed in leather armor. You step back in surprise.

> You say, "Who are you?"

The woman looks at you and grins.

"Oh, don't worry about me, darling. I'm a cut above the rabble that was ransacking this place."

> "I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about my... husband. Have you seen a man with black hair and a red robe?"

"Sure," she says. "I killed him, after he tried to... change me into a toad."

> You clench your teeth and draw your sword, chills running down your spine. "No! He can't be dead!"

"Oh, he's dead all right," she says. "Just think, you got to live a long life, far longer than you deserved. Enjoy it."

The woman leaps forward, swinging her sword.

> You thrust the torch at her, trying to burn her.

The fire makes contact with her skin, and she hisses as the fire sears her flesh. She backflips out of the way of your sword, swinging her blade again.

> You block her attack, and then savagely lunge at her, channelling your fear and horror into your blade.

Your sword slams into her stomach. She grunts in pain and falls back, but swings again.

She knocks your sword aside, knocking you to the ground, then slams her boot on your neck.

> You wheeze, "Wait! Who are you? A bandit? A rebel?"

"No." She kicks you in the face.

"I am Gloom, servant of the Bane!"

Gloom slams her boot on your neck again, and you gasp as your lungs fill with blood.

> You wonder if the dream you had, with the flash of intruding nightmares while Rax tried to keep you in the garden, was a window into his last violent moments, and he wanted to be somewhere peaceful with you while he died. Your eyes burn with unexpected tears.

Gloom raises her sword.

"Goodbye, darling."

She swings the sword down, and it connects with your neck.

> You catch the sword blade with your hands, and it just scrapes your throat. Grunting in agony, palms bleeding, you push the blade away. "I'll kill you, Gloom," you rasp. "You killed my husband."

Gloom laughs, then leaps back to avoid your flailing grab for the blade.

> You bluff and say, "Rax taught me some sorcery. I can finish that spell to turn you into a toad." You form a sigil on the back of your hand with your own blood.

"You can try, sweet cheeks," she says. "But you won't be quick enough."

Gloom begins to chant, and you feel the back of your throat begin to burn.

> You clutch your throat, gagging, and sink to the ground once more. A dried plum blossom flutters out of a fold in your clothes. You stare at it a moment, then swallow it and pray. Does any of Rax's magic linger in this flower?

"I'll send you to your doom, Gloom," you manage to say. "I'll make this death the most painful thing you'll ever experience."

Gloom nods slowly, still chanting.

> You stumble forward and then spit contemptuously at her. The spit suddenly turns into a cloud of wine-red mist, which surrounds Gloom and stings her flesh.

Gloom yelps, and you see her skin sizzle. The mist solidifies into a mass of boiling blood, and Gloom screams.

> You slowly exhale through your teeth, spewing more poison mist at Gloom.

Gloom screams in pain, backpedaling rapidly. The mist dissolves her flesh, and she collapses backwards, transformed into a toad. She attempts to hop away, but her legs transform to stone.

> You fall to your knees, shaking with shock, and touch your face to find you are half-smiling. You managed to complete Rax's spell after all.

The rasping, dying toad sounds that single laugh one last time.

> You pick up your torch and start searching the woods for any sign of Rax's body. You are willing to search all day and night if you have to.

You set out to search the forest, but your torch is beginning to burn low. Your arms feel like dead weights. How long has it been since you've eaten?

> You sit down on a fallen log and wipe silent tears off your cheeks. You regret ever convincing Rax to move to the Old Quarter. You thought you were the one in danger, not him.

Your cheek burns, and you realize you've been chewing on your flesh to keep yourself from screaming. It's not so bad. The pain distracts you.

> You cast your eyes around one last time, looking for a scrap of Rax's red robe, a bit of blood, anything.

Your nostrils flare, and you smell the air. You smell meat, smoke, sunlight. You smell Rax.

Your ears pop as your head explodes in sound. There! A branch snaps behind you.

> You whirl around, to see the source of the noise. "Rax?" you exclaim.

As you turn, your heart flutters. A ghost stands before you. It is Rax, a pale figure in a blood-soaked robe, his body mangled and torn apart.


	3. Chapter 3

> You silently approach him, and reach your hand out to him.

His blood-matted hair shines under the torchlight. His skin is dead, his body cold. You grip his shoulder, but he feels like stone.

> You say, "I killed her. I killed that woman. I turned her into a toad."

He looks at you, his eyes clouded. His mouth twists upwards in a ghostly smile.

"You did what?" he asks.

> You impulsively tilt your head up and kiss his cold cheek. "I used your sorcery. I used the flower you gave me."

"You did?"

He smiles, his dead eyes shining. He takes your hand, and touches his cold lips to your palm. He places a flower in your hand, closing your fingers around it.

> You say, "I'm not going to accept this. As long as you're here, I won't let you go. You're still a body, even if you're cold. Bodies can be healed.”

He laughs, a cold, dark sound.

> "Let me save you. "

He stops smiling.

"You can't save me," he says quietly. "They're going to come for me, whether you want them to or not. Better that you should let me go now."

> You shake your head and grab his wrist. "Who do you mean by 'they'? You're undead. Is there a necromancer?"

He closes his eyes.

"There's a master necromancer. He's recruiting. He'll revive the old Empire. He'll resurrect everyone."

You feel cold air on your neck.

> You remember what Gloom said. "Bane? Is his name the Bane?"

"Yes," Rax whispers.

"Can you show me where he is?"

"Yes."

Rax opens his eyes, and stares at you. He is paler than usual in the torchlight.

"We should go now," he says.

You hesitate, then nod.

> You say, "I am sorry I convinced you to leave the castle, Rax. This is my fault."

"It's okay," Rax says.

Rax puts your hand to his lips, and kisses it.

"Come on," he says, in a faint voice. "I know the way out.”

> "Out of the woods, you mean?"

"Yes."

Rax begins to lead you out of the darkness. You follow him through the woods. His foot slips on a tree root, and he stumbles.

"Rax!" you exclaim, but it's too late.

He falls forward. His head smacks into the cold ground, his body lifeless. You let out a yell, and rush to him.

> You turn him over, furious at how fragile he is, afraid you've lost him for good this time. "Stay with me," you growl. "I command you to wake up."

He's cold, so very cold. Your heart beats. He's breathing. His chest moves up and down. Your fingers twist in his robe, as you try to wake him up. You shake him.

> You remember a story he told you once about magic from his homeland, and use blood to write a sigil on his forehead that means, "life".

He wakes with a start, and his eyes dart open. "Are we there yet?" he asks.

"We're still in the woods," you reply.  You sit up, groaning. You're starving.

> You say "I think the camp is that way. Let's go. I need to eat.”

You walk down the path, out of the woods. As you draw closer, you begin to see a camp in the distance. There's a large fire, where many people are roasting meat on sticks.

> "That's our camp. Why did you leave it? What happened when you met Gloom?"

"I told Gloom I wanted to stay with you. I told her I wouldn't leave without you. She told me to leave. Then she... she... I was so happy when I found you!"

> You're worried about that necromancer Rax mentioned, the one Gloom served. The Bane. He might still be trying to summon Rax back. "I'll get you back into your tent," you tell Rax. "You need to wash up at least, and put on fresh clothes. Come with me." You sneak into the camp.

Most of the soldiers are asleep. You walk over to Rax's tent, and pull back the corner of the tent flap.

A soldier sits there with a crossbow, waiting for you.

> You point at the soldier. "Get out of here, and bring back bandages, herbs, and a bowl of water."

The soldier nods. He sprints off, leaving the flap open. You watch him go, then turn to Rax. 

"Come on," you say. "Let's get you inside."

> You lay Rax down on his bed and unwrap the clothes from his body, revealing all the wounds. He is an utter mess. You seethe, wishing Gloom's death had been even more painful. "Does it hurt?" you ask.

"Yes," Rax says.

You rip off a piece of fabric, and bind up the worst wound. You place Rax's hand on his side.

> "Hold the bandage there."

"Can you get me a drink of water?" he asks.

You take the water bottle from your pack, and hold it to his lips. He greedily takes a drink, then spits it out.

"It's warm," he says.

> "Or maybe you're just really, really cold."

"I can't feel my fingers," he complains. "Can you feel them?"

You trace your fingers along his arms.

> You squeeze his fingers lightly. "Can you feel this?"

"Yes," he says. "It's cold."

You look at the dozens of wounds covering his body, gashes and tears in his flesh, bruises and two black eyes.

> The soldier returns with what you asked for. You start washing the blood out of Rax's hair. "I promise you will be the most well cared for undead in the land."

"You need a priest to help you," Rax says. 

> You frown. "I thought priests could destroy the undead, not heal them."

"I'm a priest of Erem," Rax says. "My faith can do either."

> You say, "I thought you were a prince? Are they the same thing, where you're from?"

"Yes," Rax says. "We have many priests of Erem. My family is the royal family of Neroth, my people's name for the underworld."

> "Can you try to heal yourself, then?"

"I've tried," Rax admits. "I don't have the strength anymore. I lost a lot of blood, and my body has given out."

Rax's breathing is getting slower.

You look at him, worried. He looks down, and fiddles with his belt. After a moment, you realize he's removing his pants.

You raise your hands in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"I don't want you to see me like this. I don't want to be a source of disgust for you."

> You turn away, and hand him the bandages and medicinal herbs. "I am not going to be disgusted by whatever injuries you have down there," you say. "But I'll respect your privacy."

Rax turns to you. "You're a good person," he says, then coughs up blood.

He turns away from you, and begins cleaning himself.

> You get up and move to the entrance of the tent. "No," you say. "That's too low a bar for goodness. I'm a decent person."

"I know," Rax says, as if you've just said the most beautiful thing in the world.

You're about to say something, but you hear a gasp outside.

> One of your advisors, Brendol Hux, is standing just outside the tent. When you step out, he demands, "Is it true that Rax is dying?"

"Yes," you admit. "He's very sick. I need to take care of him."

Brendol shakes his head.

> You lower your voice and say, "Can I trust you with the truth, Hux?"

Brendol nods.

"I'll tell you, then," you say. "The undead are coming. We need to prepare."

Brendol's eyes widen.

> "Rax is not exactly dying. He was killed and brought back with necromancy, but his mind is still his own. I won't abandon him; he's loyal."

Brendol's eyes widen further.

"I understand, Empress," he says, before walking away.

You watch him leave, before turning back to Rax. He smiles at you. "Thank you," he says.

> You kneel next to Rax's bedroll and nod firmly. "You'll recover." You look at your own hands, remembering they're wounded, and wash them and bandage them as well. 

"I need to check the defenses," you say. "Can you rest and try not to die?"

"Of course," Rax says. "I'll heal up soon."

You nod. "I need to get back to work."

Rax nods, then winces.

> You leave the tent and make a wide circuit of the camp, telling your soldiers to prepare for a possible attack. You also take some of the fire-cooked meat.

After you've done so, you return to Rax's tent. He's sitting up.

"How do you feel?" you ask.

"Better," Rax admits.

> You bite into a haunch of roast boar and sigh with satisfaction. You were so hungry. "Would you like some meat?"

"Yes, please," Rax says. "I'm still a little weak."

You hand him the haunch, and watch him eat.

> "Which way should we go, to evade the undead army? Should we go back to the Vulpines or towards the Old Quarter?”

"Let's head towards the Old Quarter," Rax says. "That way, we should run into less of them, and less resistance."

> You pull a clean blanket out of a chest and lay it on the floor. "Do you mind if I sleep here, to keep an eye on you? I'm a light sleeper. I'll notice if something's wrong."

"Of course," Rax says. "I'd be honored to have you sleep next to me."

> You lay down on the blanket and try to relax. "Rax. I'm terrible at sharing my feelings. But I should tell you..."

"What is it?" Rax asks, touching your hand.

"I..." You sigh.

> You roll on your side and clasp Rax's hand. "I think I love you."

Rax looks at you with surprise.

"Really?" he asks.

> You wince and laugh weakly. "When I thought you were gone I was angry we didn't have the chance to make this work."

"We can still make it work," Rax says.

You lay your head down on the blanket and Rax strokes your hair. You feel calm, at peace.

> "Can I kiss you?" you awkwardly ask, because if you don't do it, and you lose him again, you'll be furious with yourself.

"Of course," Rax says.

He leans over, bracing himself on one elbow, and kisses you gently. You kiss him back, feeling a warmth in your stomach that wasn't there before.

> His mouth is still cold, tasting of blood, but the gesture is sweet and affectionate. You lay back and sigh. "I'm still in shock," you say.

"About what happened between us?" Rax asks, stroking your face.

> "What happened to you! I woke up, you were dead, I killed your murderer, then you were here again. My heart feels like it's been put to the rack."

"I feel the same." Rax laughs weakly. "Perhaps it's the blood loss."

"Perhaps," you admit. "I'll get you some more soon."

> You try to fall asleep beside Rax, hoping he'll still be there in the morning.

Instead, you lie awake, watching Rax sleep. You can't help yourself, and you trace your fingers over his face. He's real. He's not a ghost. You can feel him breathing. You kiss him.

His lips are still cool.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah I'm still doing this

> In the early morning, you order your soldiers to pack up quickly, and resume the journey to the Old Quarter. You check on Rax in his tent as your men are milling about. 

He's still breathing. You sigh in relief, then hear a soft snoring sound. Rising from your knees, you see him slowly sit up, blinking groggily. 

> You offer Rax a jug of water and some dried fruit. "Breakfast, before we leave," you say.

"I'll be fine," Rax says. "Thank you."

He takes the water and bites into a piece of fruit. You see the blood run down his chin, but he doesn't seem to care.

> You say, "Your gums are bleeding."

"What?" Rax asks, licking his lips.

> You offer him a cloth to wipe his mouth. "When we get to the Old Quarter, we'll find a priest who can fix your body up."

Rax nods, taking the cloth and dabbing at his mouth. "Let's go," he says. 

You begin to pack up your things, and Rax follows.

The trip through the wilderness is long and tiring, and you know there's a good chance the undead will be waiting for you.

> As you ride up at the front of the party, atop your warhorse Ravager, you are approached by a red-headed woman with many charms around her neck and a scaly cloak. It is Moira the witch, Gallius Rax's sister. She greets you with a sharp, strained smile. "I heard Rax is dead.”

"He is still with us," you say. "Greetings, Moira."

"Greetings," she says, not looking pleased to see you.

"Are you traveling to the Old Quarter?" she asks.

"We're heading there now."

> You say, "Are you not coming with us? You always come and go without telling me anything."

"I'll be staying in the Old Quarter," she says. "I've been studying Necromancy, and I want to master it before I attempt it on my brother."

> You find Moira to be as capricious as her brother, without the benefit of being in love with you, but she does love Brendol Hux, and they even have a child together. For their sake, she might help protect your Empire. "If you've studied Necromancy, have you ever heard of someone called the Bane?"

Moira frowns. "I believe so. Grand Matriarch Talia mentioned a figure known as the Bane, but I believe she was referring to a statue."

> You ask, "Grand Matriarch Talia is one of your witch colleagues?"

"Yes, she is," Moira says. "I believe she lives in the The Nocturnal Temple."

> You ask, "What did she mean that the Bane was a statue?”

"I think she was referring to a statue of a being who taught the first Necromancers to raise the dead."

You nod.

> You say, "That sounds like some kind of ancient god."

"I think Talia was more fascinated with it than anything," Moira says.

> You say, "Would Talia be sympathetic to the Empire, or would she side with the Bane?"

"I don't know. She might be on either side."

You frown, trying to imagine siding against the death of your own kind. Then again, siding against the one who founded your magic?

> You ask Moira, "Can your magic help Rax at all right now?"

"My magic can do many things, but it's not going to fix his broken body," Moira says. "But I do have something that will help him in a more subtle way."

> You say, "What could you do for him, then?"

Moira pulls a blue, glowing stone from her necklace. It's a talisman that seems to pulse with magic energy.

"I've been saving this for a special occasion," she says. "And now, I guess it can be used to help Rax."

"What does it do?" you ask.

"The talismans were used to enslave the winds of death to man's control," Moira says.

> You raise your eyebrows, impressed by this description. "What does that practically mean, in terms of Rax's condition?"

"The necromancers used these talismans to make the undead follow human command," Moira says. "My dad used one to make his demons obey him."

> You ask, "If you gave it to Rax, could he simply control himself, as his own necromancer?"

"It's possible," Moira says. "But he'd still be stuck in a weakened state, and that's not what we want."

> You say, "Give it to him. I don't want any other necromancer controlling him."

"I can make a stronger version of the talisman," Moira says.

> You say, "And what would you need to do that?"

"A powerful source of magic energy," Moira says. "Like the life essence of a demon."

You're quiet.

"I've done it before," she says.

> You don't doubt that she has, considering what she said about her father. You don't know much about who her father was, though she's always making strange allusions about it, as if waiting for you to get the joke. Rax has always identified himself as an orphan, despite his blood ties to Moira, and didn't explain much either. 

> "Go out and hunt yourself a demon's soul, then," you say. "I'm sure you'd enjoy the hunt for its own sake."

"Maybe I will," she says, a devilish grin on her face. "Maybe I will."

> You point behind you at the carriage where Rax is laid out, resting and hidden from view. 

"Give him the talisman, though."

Moira nods. "Of course."

She steps forward, looking at the carriage. She pulls open the door, and reaches in, grabbing Rax by the arm. He flinches, but doesn't say anything.

> You slow your horse to walk alongside the carriage, and tell Rax, "That talisman can help protect you from other necromancers... I think."

"Is that right?" Rax asks.

> You say, "If you trust your sister, which is up to you."

Rax nods. "I trust her. Thank you."

You nod, and ride off, leaving Rax and Moira alone.

> Hours later, as you crest a particularly high hill, you behold a terrible swath of destruction and carnage in the valley below.

It looks like a huge battle took place, with large trenches dug through the earth and piles of dead bodies strewn about everywhere.

> Was this a battle between splintered Imperial factions? It seems too well organized to be a fight between the Rebel faction and the Empire. You hold up a hand, shouting for your traveling party to halt. "Turn back!" you command, your skin crawling. You are afraid of what might happen with those dead bodies.

"What is it?" one of the caravan guards asks.

You're afraid to find out.

> You tell the guard, "A group of necromancers has been close by this whole time. We thought their armies were behind us, but..." The battle in this valley has changed things.

You stare at the carnage, and your skin crawls as you feel unnatural energy building up in the area.

"We need to ride back," you say.

> The bodies of the fallen soldiers have begun to twitch and shift. In waves, groups of them rise. No longer caring about the banners and colors that distinguished their two sides, they lurch together towards your caravan.

With a startled cry, one of the caravan guards draws a bow and fires, but the shot goes wild. In seconds, the bodies have overrun the trenches and engulfed your caravan in a wave of rotting flesh.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of note: I have started tweaking the AI much more intensely since the plot is more convoluted. I still let it do weird shit but I have changed many more of the responses directly so that they pay off things that were set up earlier, since obviously that's something the AI struggles with. 
> 
> What am I doing with my life honestly what is this fic

> You shout to one of your guards, who tosses you a halberd, and you swing it in a wide arc, cutting through the zombies that charge you.

You throw the halberd, and it flies true. It slams into a zombie's skull, toppling it to the ground.

> You rush back to the carriage and shout, "Moira! Rax! We need sorcery, we need witchcraft! Any magic at all!"

Rax begins to chant, and begins to make signs with his hands. Moira joins him, and they begin to chant in unison. You watch as a blue glow begins to emanate from Moira's hands and up the sleeves of her robes.

> You recognize that blue glow is coming from the talisman. "What's the best way to kill an undead?" you ask.

"Fire," Rax says.

He pulls out a vial of blue liquid and takes a drink from it. His eyes roll up into the back of his head, and he faints.

"No!" Moira cries, stopping her own spell. She turns to her brother and begins to chant over him.

> You shout, "What did he just do?"

"He took a liquid of some sort that gives the user a rush of energy. He'll be fine, but I need to heal him, it overloaded his body."

Moira seems very upset.

> You are worried that Rax's usual sorcery will not work as intended now that he's a corpse. Without sorcery, though, how can you create enough fire to ward off the undead? "Moira? Can you make fire?"

"I can try!" she says hopefully.

Moira begins to chant again, but her energy is no longer focused. She begins to float into the air.

> You jump off your horse and pull Rax out of the carriage, and tug the floating Moira out as well. Carrying Rax in your arms, you try to throw him over the back of the horse.

You get him over the horse, but by the time you do, you feel a strange force grab your ankle. The next thing you see is a flash of red scales and a pair of bulging red eyes.

> You think, a demon! And you wonder if Moira will be able to kill it.

As you struggle to break free of the demon's grip, Moira manages to concentrate enough to cast a spell. A jet of flame bursts from her finger tips and sets you free.

> You shout, "This is your chance to take a demon's soul!" Demons are not undead, but they flock to undead like moths to flame, and can be controlled by promising them the souls of the corpses.

You run over to the horse and grab one of the arrows from the quiver holstered to it. You run back to the demon and plunge it into its neck. Its black blood falls like boiling tar and melts through the dirt.

> You call to Moira, who is still floating uncontrollably, "Do it! Take its soul!"

Moira regains control of her floating and points at the demon, but nothing seems to happen.

"I can't," she says, "he's not dead."

You stare at the demon in disbelief. How can something take a bolt in the neck and not die?

"Look at his armor," she continues, "he's completely invulnerable that way."

Rax awakens and walks over to the demon. He touches it, and his eyes light up.

"I've found a way," he says, and points his finger at the demon.

The demon's armor begins to crack, then break, then come off. Underneath, he's naked and invulnerable. He's also pale as a ghost.

"Quick," he says, "feed on his soul!"

Moira points at the helpless demon.

> You are forced to turn your attention back to the undead soldiers, picking up a sword and hacking at one trying to charge at you.

"Feed on his soul!" Rax exclaims again.

> Moira drops out of the sky and plunges her hand into the demon's mouth, grabbing it by its tongue. She's panting and grinning ferally.

"Now you're going to pay, foul beast!"

She pulls the demon's tongue out through its mouth. It tries to scream, but only manages to let out a few squeaks. The demon flails around, tearing up the ground and scratching at its face.

> You wince, nauseated by the brutality of the siblings' magic. Their powers have always been a great boon to your cause, but they're still frightening when they call on these dark and dreadful arts.

Rax chants as the demon writhes in pain, and eventually, it expires.

"Burn in hell!" Moira laughs.

> You say, "Isn't that a good thing, for a demon?"

“Not when I do it like this,” she says. She snaps her fingers.

The demon is set alight, and soon, the flames engulf its body. You all stand back as it roasts in the fire.

> Moira takes the tongue she tore from the demon and shows it to Rax. Then she squeezes it tightly, until black mist is oozing out of it. The talisman around Rax's neck glows and sucks up the mist. "Use it wisely, brother," Moira says.

"I will," he says, "I'll use it to... plan more mischief." He grins.

> You say loudly, "Use it to stop the undead, please!"

"I can do that," he says. "It'll take some time, but I think I know just the thing."

Moira and you watch as he takes off down the road, holding the glowing disk.

> The shambling armies drop their weapons as Rax passes by them, going limp. They all turn and watch him with their dull eyes. He's controlling them. 

> The only threats left are a handful of other demons that had been hiding in the trenches. Small, like the one you just fought. 

One of them stumbles out, covered in blood. His red scaly armor is in tatters, blood seeping through.

Moira sees him, and snarls.

> You grit your teeth and tell Moira, with a voice of hardened steel, "Go and collect the rest of their tongues."

She looks at you, her eyes filled with a primal rage and desire to kill. She lunges at the demon. 

He tries to defend himself with his blade, but Moira's quick. She grabs its hair with one hand, and punches him in the face with the other.

> You mount your warhorse and scan the battlefield. Many of your men have died, and they too are shuffling meekly after Rax. You leave Moira to her bloodlust and ride down the hill, circling the undead army and pulling up to a halt in front of the man commanding it. "Beautiful work, Rax," you say, watching him with newfound wariness. "You don't look so ill anymore."

He laughs, a creepy laugh that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. 

> If he wanted to, he could probably take this power and make himself the sole Emperor. But, he promised that he loved you. 

You stare at him for a few moments, wondering what his next move will be.

He stands up straight, pulling out his talisman and showing it to you. "Thank you, my Empress," he says.

> You hold out your hand to him. "Join me on Ravager?" you suggest.

He looks at you. He stares at your face, your body, your weapons, everything about you, and he seems to see you differently now. After a few moments, he sighs, then nods. "Yes. Yes, I will join you."

> You take his hand and help him up behind you on your tall, broad-backed horse. His arms wrap around your middle.

He holds you tightly. "Empress, I love you," he says into your back.

> You are quiet for a moment, then say, "What do you want to do with all these undead?"

"Burn them, of course!" he says.

> "Cruel words for your own kind. Wouldn't I be selfish to destroy them while keeping you?"

He shrugs. "You're more moral than I am. I like that about you."

You think for a moment. Should you save these pathetic creatures that've lost all will to fight, or should you annihilate them to the last man?

> "If we took them with us," you say, as your ridiculous plan spirals into being, "as refugees, we'd have to find somewhere to keep them. An abandoned fortress, like the one in the Vulpines. There should be one close by."

"Perfect," Rax nods. "We can build up an army to reconquer the rest of Imperial lands."

"Or..." You hesitate, unsure of whether to bring it up.

"Yes?" he asks.

> You sigh and say, "Never mind. That's what we ought to do, isn't it?" You turn Ravager around and trot back to the caravan. Moira is there, holding three demon tongues.

She smiles at you. "I've finished." She tosses the tongues to you, and you catch them, grimacing.

> You pass the tongues back to Rax. "Use them however you will."

"Thank you," he says, as he takes them.

With the tongues out of the way, you turn your attention to the remaining living soldiers in your party.

> You look at their stiff faces suppressing fright, and say, "We're going to detour into the mountains and take the undead with us to one of the Empire's secret prisons. I have decreed that they are Imperial subjects afflicted by a terrible condition, not true dead."

"Not true dead?" Their eyes widen. "How can you say that? They will not rise up to try to consume our souls or serve the Necromancer Lord?"

> You say, "They serve Counselor Rax," using his self-given title for once. "Moira, you wanted a chance to practice Necromancy. Here it is."

> Moira suddenly cries out, and rushes into the mob of shuffling undead. She grabs the arm of a man whose stomach has been slashed open, guts leaking everywhere. You softly gasp. It's her lover, your advisor, Brendol Hux. 

His face is slack, eyes staring.

Moira looks up from her beloved's corpse to you and Rax. 

> You say, before irrational jealous fury blinds her, "You see? These are not monsters. They are loved ones." Recovering Rax from the woods has truly made you sentimental. "I want you to save Brendol.”

"We will." Her tone darkens. "I'm glad you're going to take care of this. I don't want to have to deal with it alone."

> "He must have been caught up in the attack," you tell her, "while you defended me, and I won't have you regretting that." You address the entire caravan. "We're heading for the mountains. You may find this unusual, but I have made my decision. Let's move!"

You spur your horse forward, and the caravan follows.

**Author's Note:**

> The fic is not complete but I can generate these chapters a hell of a lot faster than I can write other fic so please let me know if you like this and want to read more, it's quite fun to produce! Although I do fear the potential for this game eventually being able to produce Star Trek holodeck style immersion. I'm only using the free version too!
> 
> I do think it's very funny how stream of consciousness genre ship fic can be sort of auto-generated now, which means carefully crafted fic (which I like to think is more my speciality) may be even more valuable.


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